1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a cover in a wheel and disc brake assembly on an automotive vehicle.
2. Prior Art
Various brake covers, shields and filters have been proposed heretofore for use on automotive vehicles. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,047,796 to Fitzgerald discloses a dust cover mounted on the inboard side of a vehicle wheel and having a complex shape on its outboard side complementary to the wheel spokes and having air circulating fins on its inboard side. Bottieri U.S. Pat. No. 4,484,286 discloses an annular dust shield plate of dished cross-section clamped against the outboard side of the rotor of a disc brake. Barger U.S. Pat. No. 6,155,650 discloses a cover attached to the outboard side of a disc brake inside the vehicle wheel and presenting a cylindrical wall at its periphery which is formed with openings partly covered by air-scooping louvers. Similarly, Dean U.S. Pat. No. 6,371,569 B1 discloses a cover attached to the outboard side of a disc brake and presenting radially elongated openings which are partly covered by curved louvers acting as air scoops.
Jordan U.S. Pat. No. 5,772,286 discloses a filter unit mounted on the outboard side of a disc brake.
Bubnash et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,005,768 and Oka et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,473,139 each show a dust shield at the inboard side of a disc brake.
McElroy U.S. Pat. No. 4,164,213 discloses a shield for a drum brake on an automotive vehicle.
The present invention is directed to a cover for use in a wheel and disc brake assembly, particularly one with a wheel with large openings through which the rotor and caliper of the disc brake can be seen, detracting from the aesthetic appearance of the wheel
A principal object of this invention is to provide a novel and advantageous disc brake cover of simplified construction which adapts it for ready attachment to, the rotor of the disc brake on the outboard side. It has no air circulation openings and no air scoop louvers, and it does not have a complex curvature, and consequently it can be produced at low cost. Despite its structural simplicity, the present cover is highly effective in achieving its primary purpose of providing a visually attractive shield for the operating parts of the disc brake on that wheel.
In accordance with this invention, the brake cover is imperforate where it extends completely across the outboard side of the disc brake, making it a structurally simple but highly effective, an aesthetically attractive shield for the less attractive operating parts of the disc brake.
Further objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of two presently preferred embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings.